Romans 11:2

Romans 11:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
• New International Version (NIV)God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel:
• English Standard Version (ESV)God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?
• New King James Version (NKJV)God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying,

Context of Romans 11:2

1I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin. No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said, 3“Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” 4And do you remember God’s reply? He said, “No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!”

Romans 11:2 word by word

οὐκ ἀπώσατο ὁ θεὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ὃν προέγνω.¶ Ἢ οὐκ οἴδατε ἐν Ἠλίᾳ τί λέγει ἡ γραφή, ὡς ἐντυγχάνει τῷ θεῷ κατὰ τοῦ ἸσραήλRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• hathἀπωθέωapōtheomai apōthomai · to rejectG683
• notοὐou · noG3756
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• he foreknewπρογινώσκωproginōskō · to know/chooseG4267
• ·ἤē · orG2228
• Wot yeεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• the scriptureγραφήgraphē · a writingG1124
• saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• ofἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• EliasἩλίαςHēlias · ElijahG2243
• howὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• he maketh intercessionἐντυγχάνωentugchanō · to call onG1793
• againstκατάkata · according toG2596
• IsraelἸσραήλIsraēl · IsraelG2474
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004

Cross-references for Romans 11:2

• Romans 8:29For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
• Romans 9:6Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people!
• Acts 13:48When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers.
• Acts 15:18he who made these things known so long ago.’
• 1 Peter 1:2God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace.
• Genesis 44:15“What have you done?” Joseph demanded. “Don’t you know that a man like me can predict the future?”
• Exodus 32:1When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.”
• Acts 3:17“Friends, I realize that what you and your leaders did to Jesus was done in ignorance.
• Acts 7:40They told Aaron, ‘Make us some gods who can lead us, for we don’t know what has become of this Moses, who brought us out of Egypt.’
• Philippians 1:22But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better.
• Nehemiah 9:30In your love, you were patient with them for many years. You sent your Spirit, who warned them through the prophets. But still they wouldn’t listen! So once again you allowed the peoples of the land to conquer them.
• Luke 4:1Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,
• 1 Corinthians 6:2Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves?
• Hebrews 1:1Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets.
• 1 Corinthians 15:15And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead.
• Numbers 16:15Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, “Do not accept their grain offerings! I have not taken so much as a donkey from them, and I have never hurt a single one of them.”

Commentaries on Romans 11:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew - God has not finally and irrecoverably rejected a people whom he has loved (or approved) so long, ̔ , for this is evidently the meaning of the word in this place, as we have already seen, Romans 8:29, and is a very general meaning of the original verb ידע yada in Hebrew and in Greek; as I have had often occasion to notice in different parts of this work, and what none will deny who consults the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2God hath set cast away - This is an explicit denial of the objection. Which he foreknew - The word “foreknew” is expressive not merely of foreseeing a thing, but implies in this place a previous purpose or plan; see the note at Romans 8:29. The meaning of the passage is simply, God has not cast off those whom he had before purposed or designed to be his people. It is the declaration of a great principle of divine government that God is not changeable: and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2whom He foreknew: Before the people of Israel could do anything to earn their place, God chose them to be his people. He did this because of his grace alone. Elijah: In 1 Kings 19:1–18, King Ahab had killed many of the Lord’s prophets, and his wife Jezebel threatened to kill Elijah as well. Elijah ran into the wilderness and expressed his deep discouragement. God answered him by saying that many faithful people still remained. Paul saw a similar situation…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-42-4. God hath--"did" not cast away his people--that is, wholly which he foreknew--On the word "foreknew," see on Ro 8:29. Wot--that is, "Know" ye not that the scripture saith of--literally, "in," that is, in the section which relates to Elias? how he maketh intercession--"pleadeth" against Israel--(The word "saying," which follows, as also the particle "and" before "digged down," should be omitted, as without manuscript authority).Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 11:2

• Elijah
• God
• Salvation

In the dictionaries

• God
• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Cast
• Conclude
• Dark
• Depth
• Election

Commentaries on Romans 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings